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LunarPitsGatewaytotheSubsurface
MarkRobinsonandRobertWagner
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Outline
• Overviewofpits• Gooddestinations• Arnemission
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Pits:Whatarethey?
• Small,steep-walled
collapsefeatures
• Of>300known,allbut16inimpactmelts
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PitsarewidespreadontheMoon
White:Mareandhighlandpits Blue:Impactmeltpits
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PitsarewidespreadontheMoon
White:Mareandhighlandpits Blue:Impactmeltpits
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Pitsareinterestingforexploration
• Exposedlayerprofiles• Benignenvironment
• Radiation,meteorites,
temperaturevariation
• Potentialcaveaccess• Accesstoun[space]weathered
minerals
ToppanelsfromRobinsonetal.2012
Bottom-right fromDaga andDaga 1992
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Desireddatafrominitialvisit
• cm-scalewallandfloor
morphology/albedo
• Stretchgoal:Compositionoflayers
• Thermalandradiation
environment
• Presenceandextentofanycaves
• Traversibility
ToppanelsfromRobinsonetal.2012
Bottom-right fromDaga andDaga 1992
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PitExplorationChallenges
• Probablycan’tjust“driveuptotherim”
andseethefloor
• Surrounding“funnels”arelikelyunstable
• Needatetherorflight• Limitedlightingwithin
• Difficulttocommunicateout
Top:Devil’sThroatinHawai‘i
Bottom:ObliqueviewofMareIngenii pit
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Goodtargetsforexploration
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Goodtargetsforexploration
• MareIngenii
• 100x68x65m• Largeoverhungregiononwestside(>20m)
• Onlunarfarside
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Goodtargetsforexploration
• LacusMortis
• >150x110x80m• 23° entranceslope,• Almostcertainlyno
caves
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Goodtargetsforexploration
• MariusHills
• 58x49x40m• Verystrongevidenceforlargelavatube
• Noobviousconnectionbetweentubeandpit
• Yet…
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Goodtargetsforexploration
• MareTranquillitatis
• 100x88x104m• ExcellentLROCimagery
• ≥20moverhangsto
eastandwest
• Earthviewfromfloor
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Goodtargetsforexploration
• MareTranquillitatis
• 100x88x104m• ExcellentLROCimagery
• >20moverhangsto
eastandwest
• Earthviewfromfloor
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Goodtargetsforexploration
• MareTranquillitatis
• 100x88x104m• ExcellentLROCimagery
• ≥20moverhangsto
eastandwest
• Earthviewfromfloor
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Arne:Initialforayintoalunarpit
• Goal:Tofindanswersthatcan’tbefound
fromorbit
• Howfardo theoverhangsgoback?
• Whatdothewalllayer
looklike?
• Whatwillittaketo
traversethefloor?
• Destination:Mare
Tranquillitatis pitEastwallofMareTranquillitatis pit,
basedoncurrentobservations
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ArneConOps
• Landinsidepit• Observewalls,relaydirectlytoEarth
• Launch“pit-bots”• Basketball-sizedflyingdrones
• Willexploreoverhangs
andanycaves
• Multiplepit-botswill
exploredeeperintoany
cave,ormultiplewallsLandernottoscale
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ArneConOps
• Landinsidepit• Observewalls,relaydirectlytoEarth
• Launch“pit-bots”• Basketball-sizedflyingdrones
• Willexploreoverhangs
andanycaves
• Multiplepit-botswill
exploredeeperintoany
cave,ormultiplewallsLandernottoscale
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ArneConOps
• Landinsidepit• Observewalls,relaydirectlytoEarth
• Launch“pit-bots”• Basketball-sizedflyingdrones
• Willexploreoverhangs
andanycaves
• Multiplepit-botswill
exploredeeperintoany
cave,ormultiplewallsLandernottoscale
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Toscale,assuminga3mtalllander
ArneVariations
• Landoutside,flyin• Landoutside,sendtethereddescenderin
• Descenderandfliers
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ArneVariations
• Landoutside,flyin• Landoutside,sendtethereddescenderin
• Descenderandfliers
Landernottoscale
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ArneVariations
• Landoutside,flyin• Stronglimitsonin-pit
instrumentation
• Morecomplicated
communications
• Landoutside,sendtethereddescenderin
• Descenderandfliers
Landernottoscale
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ArneVariations
• Landoutside,flyin• Landoutside,sendtethereddescenderin
• Wouldonlygetpartial
high-reswallcoverage
• Littlecavingability• Wallcomposition*
• Longer-term
monitoring?
• DescenderandfliersLandernottoscale
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ArneVariations
• Landoutside,flyin• Landoutside,sendtethereddescenderin
• Descenderandfliers• Bestofbothworlds?
Landernottoscale